Apple rolls out a more combative CEO

Apple’s Tim Cook takes swipes at Google, Android at WWDC

By

BenjaminPimentel

Bloomberg

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Beyond the new iteration of its operating systems and developer kits for the home and health care, Apple’s developer conference in San Francisco also unwrapped something new for the tech giant: a more combative Tim Cook.

In his keynote address on Monday, the Apple
AAPL, -0.11%
chief executive took swipes at two key rivals, Microsoft and Google. He bragged about how OS X Mavericks has been adopted faster by Mac users, compared to the pace of adoption for Microsoft’s
MSFT, -0.46%
Windows 8.

Minutes later he took aim at Android, Google’s
GOOG, -0.08%
mobile operating system.

“More than 130 million customers who bought an iOS device in last year bought their first Apple device,” he said. “Many of them were switchers from Android. They bought an Android phone by mistake. And then sought a better life.”

The crowd of developers loved it, but some industry analysts were quick to note Cook’s new style.

As the late Steve Jobs’s long-time lieutenant, he added, Cook was known to be “quite forceful,” but “he actually makes more of an impression with his silences sometimes than with his words, according to reports from internal meetings.”

“It looks like he’s been pretty cautious about competitors in public until now,” he added. “He mostly answers questions about other platforms by talking about Apple’s and how it’s doing. So, this is a break from the past.”

Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group also noted how Cook “really went after Google, which represents the bigger threat.”

But a more combative Cook could have a double-edged meaning. Cook has had to fill really big shoes after the passing of the iconic Steve Jobs, and the transition has not always been easy for him.

A more combative posture could be good for Apple has it takes on multiple challenges, including intense competition from the likes of Google and Microsoft, and a fast-changing tech landscape.

Kay called Cook “a tough negotiator. And now he has the role of defending the brand in public, which involves activities that his former boss used to handle.”

On the other hand, Cook’s tough talk also underscores the hurdles Apple faces now.

While Apple has strong positions in fast-growing segments of the tech market, led by smartphones and tablets, and is well-positioned in new trends in the so-called Internet of Things, Google has proven to be a robust and innovative rival, underscored by the position of Android as the dominant mobile operating system.

For instance, while Apple was the No. 1 tablet vendor in the world in the first quarter, Android remained the top operating system, with roughly two-thirds of the market share, according to IDC.

“When you are a leader you ignore the competition, when you’ve lost leadership you go after the leader,” Enderle said. “I think this indicates he recognizes his position in the market has changed.”

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